"I follow it."

"Then Nirdlinger got it. And suddenly Sachetti knew he had to go after this woman to mean it. He quit seeing Lola. He didn't even tell her why. He went up to this woman and began making love to her, as hard as he knew. That is, almost as hard as he knew. He figured, if it was her he was coming to see, she'd not forbid him to come, not at all. You see, she was Lola's guardian. But if Lola got married, the husband would be the guardian, and that would mix it all up on the property. You see-"

"Lola was next."

"That's it. After she got you out of the way for what you knew about her, Lola was next. Of course at this time Sachetti didn't know anything about you, but he did know about Lola, or was pretty sure he knew."

"Go on."

"That brings us down to last night. Lola followed him. That is, she followed his car when you took it. She was turning into the parking lot when you pulled out."

"I saw the car."

"Sachetti went home early. The wife chased him out. He went to his room and started to go to bed, but he couldn't shake it out of his mind that something was going on that night.

For one thing, being chased out looked funny. For another thing, the wife had asked him earlier in the day a couple of things about Griffith Park, when they closed the roads down there for the night, and which roads they closed-things that could only mean she had something cooking in that park late at night sometime, he didn't know when. So instead of going to bed, he decided to go up to her house and keep an eye on her. He went out to get his car. When he found it gone, he almost fainted, because Lola had a key to it. Don't forget, he knew Lola was next."

"Go on."

"He grabbed a cab and went down to Griffith Park. He began walking around blind-he didn't have any idea what was up, or even when to look. He started at the wrong place-at the far end of the little glade. Then he heard the shot. He ran over, and he and Lola got to you about the same time. He thought Lola was shot. She thought he was shot. When Lola saw who it was, she thought Sachetti shot him, and she was putting on an act about it when the police got there."

"I get it now."

"That woman, that wife, is an out-and-out lunatic. Sachetti told me he found five cases, all before the three little children, where patients died under her while she was a nurse, two of them where she got property out of it."

"All of pneumonia?"

"Three. The older two were operative cases."

"How did she do it?"

"Sachetti never found out. He thinks she found out some way to do it with the serum, combining with another drug. He wishes he could get it out of her. He thinks it would be important."

"Well?"

"You're sunk, Huff."

"I know it."

"We had it out this afternoon. Down at the company. I had the whip hand. There was no two ways about it. I called it long ago, even when Norton was still talking suicide."

"You did that all right."

"I persuaded them the case ought never to come to trial."

"You can't hush it up."

"We can't hush it up, we know that. But having it come out that an agent of this company committed murder is one thing. Having it plastered all over every paper in the country for the two weeks of a murder trial is something else."

"I see."

"You're to give me a statement. You're to give me a statement setting forth every detail of what you did, and have a notary attest it. You're to mail it to me, registered. You're to do that Thursday of next week, so I get it Friday."

"Next Thursday."

"That's right. In the meantime, we hold everything, about this last shooting, I mean, because you're in no condition to testify at a hearing. Now get this. There'll be a reservation for you, under a name I'll give you, on a steamer leaving San Pedro Thursday night for Balboa and points south. You take that steamer. Friday I get a statement and at once turn it over to the police. That's the first I knew about it. That's why Norton and his friends left just now. There's no witnesses to this. It's a deal between you and me, and if you ever try to call it on me I'll deny it, and I'll prove there was no such deal. I've taken care of that."

"I won't try."

"As soon as we notify the police, we post a reward for your capture. And listen, Huff, if you're ever caught, that reward will be paid, and you'll be tried, and if there's any way we can help it along, you're going to be hung. We don't want it brought to trail, but if it is brought to trial, we're going through with it to the hilt. Have you got that?"

"I've got it."

"Before you get on that boat, you'll have to hand to me the registry receipt for that statement. I've got to know I've got it."

"What about her?"

"Who?"

"Phyllis?"

"I've taken care of her."

"There's just one thing, Keyes."

"What is it?"

"I still don't know about that girl, Lola. You say you hold everything. I guess that means you hold her and Sachetti, pending the hearing. The hearing that's not going to be held. Well, listen. I've got to know no harm comes to her. I've got to have your solemn word on that, or you'll get no statement, and the case will come to trial, and all the rest of it. I'll blow the whole ship out of water. Do you get that, Keyes? What about her?"

"We hold Sachetti. He's consented to it."

"Did you hear me? What about her?"

"She's out."

"She's-what?"

"We bailed her out. It's a bailable offense. You didn't die, you see."

"Does she know about me?"

"No. I told you I told her nothing."

He got up, looked at his watch, and tip-toed out in the hall. I closed my eyes. Then I felt somebody near me. I opened my eyes again. It was Lola.

"Walter."

"Yes. Hello, Lola."

"I'm terribly sorry."

"I'm all right."

"I didn't know Nino knew about us. He must have found out. He didn't mean anything. But he's-hot-tempered."

"You love him?"

"…Yes."

"I just wanted to know."

"I'm sorry that you feel as you do."

"It's all right."

"Can I ask something? That I haven't any right to ask?"

"What is it?"

"That you do not prosecute. That you not appear against him. You don't have to, do you?"

"I won't."

"…Sometimes I almost love you, Walter."

She sat looking at me, and all of a sudden she leaned over close. I turned my head away, quick. She looked hurt and sat there a long time. I didn't look at her. Some kind of peace came to me then at last. I knew I couldn't have her and never could have had her. I couldn't kiss the girl whose father I killed.

When she was at the door I said good-bye and wished her good luck, and then Keyes came back.

"O.K. on the statement, Keyes."

"It's the best way."

"O.K. on everything. Thanks."

"Don't thank me."

"I feel that way."

"You've got no reason to thank me." A funny look came in his eyes. "I don't think they're going to catch up with you, Huff. I think-well maybe I'm doing you a favor at that. Maybe you'd rather have it that way."